Catching Up: Weeks 2 & 3

Where has time gone!?!?

This is how I splurge

Officially 3.5 weeks in and I am loving it. Overall the biggest challenge continues to be setting aside prep time to cook. I find myself standing at the counter for 2 hours on Sundays getting ready for the week. But it is so worth it in order to cut down on additional time during the week. 

So, here it is. Weeks 2 and 3 in the books.

Am I surviving?

            Thriving!

Have I lost weight?

            I have lost about 10 pounds so far. I feel like the first two weeks were bigger changes, but still noticing more physical changes. 

Do I feel better?

            I feel great! In the past I've had issues with unexplainable stomach pains and some digestive issues (I'll spare you details). Since starting this journey I haven't had any stomach issues at all! I just don't know if its the dairy or wheat though that my body disagreed with.

Isn't it more expensive to stay on this 'diet'?
           Actually no. I shop for all my food (meat, produce, grains, coffee, eggs) at Sprouts. The sales are phenomenal, but also local foods. I am actually spending about $10-20 less each week on food than I was prior to starting the 'diet'. Since 90% of what I buy is fruits and vegetables it cuts down on cost. I buy nuts, grains, and coffee all from the bulk section where you put it in your own bags. 

What do I miss the most? 
           Cheese. 

What I've learned:
The best way to create dishes to last throughout the week is to put chicken in the crock pot on Sunday or Monday and use it for one or two recipes to last the week. If I can make dishes in larger quantity I can split it up for lunches for the week. Just because I'm eating clean it does not mean that the food I prepare has to have less flavor. Spices and spicy are my saving grace. I have a whole new appreciation for spicy food and I love it! It can really change a bland dish into one that I feel is more rich and satisfying. 

I have officially mastered the grocery store runs. I prefer to shop at Sprouts (for you NE people, it's the best store ever) because the produce is so much fresher and even cheaper than Fry's (Kroger/Baker). It is also cheaper than Whole Foods but has the same mentality of local, fresh, and lots of organic options. 

It has become easier. I don't even think twice about what I eat or what I can/cannot eat. Believe it or not, its been easy to say no to foods that I know I can't eat. Unfortunately I have spurts of cravings where I imagine myself eating a number of foods that I can't eat. Even this makes me feel guilty! I already have created a list of foods that I want to sample after Easter though. 

Quinoa for the Win

Quinoa for the Win

Oh yes, that strange tapioca, loofa looking grain.

Wait, how do you say it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFpW7eoZxoY

There you go.

Here it is, a break down of what makes it great and how it fits into every single part of your diet. Daily.

Once again, on the world’s healthiest foods list! Woot!

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142

What makes it great?

• Quinoa is chalked full of an abundance of nutrients and health benefits including:
•  Low on glycemic index
• Anti inflammatory
• High in fiber and protein
• Gluten free
• High in manganese, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, folate, and zinc
• Heart healthy fats

Since quinoa is pretty much the only grain I haven’t eliminated, I try to use it as much as possible. AND a little goes a long way. I have used it as an oat and rice substitute in recipes. This week I made two key dishes: stuffed peppers with ground turkey and vegetable stir-fry. I feel as though you can mix quinoa in with ANYTHING. To me, it takes on whatever flavor you give it!

Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

(I made this up as I went…so brace yourself)

1 pound of ground white turkey

½ cup uncooked quinoa (more than doubles when cooked, up to 3-4 servings)

Added my home made taco seasoning (http://jessicadoesclean.blogspot.com/2014/03/recipes-galore.html)

Cut up cilantro, red onion, Serrano pepper, and squeezed lime juice

Preheat oven to 350. Washed and cut red peppers (my choice, you can use any color). Boiled quinoa per directions (1 part quinoa to 2 parts water, boiling x10ish minutes). “Brown” turkey in pan with olive oil and water on stove until cooked through. Added all other ingredients in pan then dished into halves of peppers. Bake in oven until peppers are to your preferred tenderness.

Vegetable Stir-Fry

(I made this up too…)

Cut up as much and as many different types of vegetables that you prefer.

I cut up: cauliflower, broccoli, green onion, mushrooms, yellow zucchini, garlic, shredded carrots, and red onion

Sautee in pan until veggies are cooked through, lightly sprinkled garlic salt and pepper.

Add cooked quinoa

Add 2 tablespoons of organic, whole foods version of low sodium sauce

That’s it. Yum. Yum. Yum.  

Tomorrow is the end of week 2! Holy cow!

Recipes Galore

I really outdid myself in the recipe department this week.

Chicken taco bowls

Scallops and asparagus

Sweet potato hash

First up: Chicken taco bowls

By far one of the easiest recipes! I throw the chicken in the crock pot in the morning. Get home and shred it. Done. BUT you can’t just use a taco seasoning packet…so, I made my own and it is sooo good! Check it out: http://chefmommy-brandao.blogspot.com/2010/05/taco-seasoning.html?m=1

I followed this recipe and its great! I used chicken, but you could definitely use another meat if you’d prefer! And you can make it in larger quantities and store it in the cupboard. I put tomato, cilantro, and squeezed lime juice in my food processor to make a salsa for the chicken and added avocado.

Next: Scallops and asparagus

MY FAVORITE dish so far! Yum! And easy. Sauteed the scallops in a pan with olive oil and sprinkled sea salt and pepper. About 3 minutes per side and they are done! I grilled the asparagus with lemon juice, olive oil, onion powder, salt and pepper. The scallops were so rich and delicious. Definitely a treat!

Did you know scallops are really good for you!??

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=105

DESSERT!

I got desperate and needed dessert..bad. So, I created one. In my handy dandy food processor I threw a frozen banana, teaspoon of pure vanilla, half handful of chia seeds, almond butter, and unsweetened almond milk to smooth. Eat with a spoon. Amazing, banana almond butter custard. And its good for you.

Last but NOT least: Sweet potato hash

A sweet potato dish I like! Shout out to Jordan Faulder for this fabulous dish. She has said she tried it on a trip to Dallas and fell in love. So glad she shared because I did as well! These are the directions she gave me. I followed them exactly and had great results.  She noted that you can add any veggies that you want.

Ingredients:

- Sweet potato

- Bacon (from whole foods - it's organic and make sure you get the nitrate free bacon if you choose to use it)

- Red Pepper

- Garlic

- Avocado

- Green Onions

- Olive Oil

- Salt/Pepper

- Farm Fresh Egg

First, I preheat the oven to 400 degrees and I put the bacon on a cooking sheet lined with tin foil and I cook it in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Bacon in the oven is  so stinkin good.

In the meantime I cubed the sweet potato. I left the skin on, but feel free to peel first. Mince a clove or two of garlic, cut the pepper into pieces, and slice the green onions.

I sautéed the garlic for a couple minutes in a tablespoon or two of olive oil over medium heat in a pan. May need to add a little more as potatoes soak up the oil fast. Next, I added the cubed sweet potatoes and turn the heat up a little bit and cook those until they are soft. I added in the pepper last and continued cooking for about 3-5 more minutes.

At this point you can add any remaining ingredients. I didn’t add the avocado or egg until it was plated.

Feel free to send any recipes or ideas my way! 

Check In: Week One

Check In: Week One

So, here it is. Week one in the books.

Am I surviving?

            Barely. Just kidding! Kind of.

Have I lost weight?

            The scale said so, but I can’t really tell if its made a physical difference yet.

Do I feel better?

            The biggest physical change I can feel is feeling consistently less bloated. In the past I have had some issues with stomach pain and digestion. I haven’t had any of these issues in the past week. However, I know it is still early on in the process.

So far, this has been one of the more challenging things I have ever done. The biggest struggles include the amount of prep time required to get everything together and more than frequent trips to the store. I feel like I’m at the grocery store at least 3 days a week buying a ton of veggies and fruit. By the end of the week I officially have an empty fridge and fine myself scrounging for food.

Getting creative has been the only way to turn a standard dish into something more. I love red pepper flakes and cumin! 

What I’ve learned:

Those GMOs we talked about? They are EVERYWHERE! And the meat that is USDA Organic and Non-GMO is very expensive and practically still has the feathers on it. That kinda grosses me out. Also, the only places you can find organic and non-GMO foods is Sprouts and Whole Foods. Occasionally I can find a product at Fry’s (Bakers/Kroger equivalent) in the health food section. Did you know that almond butter can cost over $20 for 8 ounces? I literally laughed out loud in the aisle. Forget it. You can grind it yourself at Whole Foods for much cheaper and much fresher.

It IS becoming easier. Even though I find myself near tears on nights where I just don’t want to cook anything, I am enjoying the process. I do wish food would magically appear most nights, but unfortunately it doesn’t. Oh, what I would do for easy Kraft mac 'n cheese just one night...I usually don’t get to eat dinner until about 8:30 because of prep time after work. The only days I eat closer to 7 pm are the days that I throw chicken in the crock-pot.

Next weeks challenge: find good crock-pot recipes that will allow me to decrease prep time at night and last me more than a few days.

Prepping for the Week

I've decided to face my biggest challenge head on before the week starts: Preparation.

What got prepped? 

Garlic Hummus

Boiled Eggs

Spaghetti squash

Cutting fruits (apples, strawberries, blackberries) and veggies (cucumbers)

Wow, that sounds like it would've taken 5 minutes. Ha, no. Two hours later…But this also includes putting foods in containers and baggies for the week. 

Disclaimer: As I start posting recipe I want you to know that I have a tendency to make my own or alter recipes as I deem necessary. I also tend to go through my cupboards and throw in whatever sounds interesting. If you so choose to imitate any recipes, I'm not responsible for them being bad. Feel free to add whatever you want too, especially CHEESE!

Garlic Hummus 

(followed basic guidelines, however added my own stuff)

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/13-different-ways-make-hummus

1 can garbanzo (chickpea) beans

2 tablespoons lemon juice (I used fresh)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Add water as needed for smooth consistency

1/3 cup tahini sauce (non-GMO for me). These are ground sesame seeds...I didn't know either.

2 cloves garlic

Sprinkled parsley

Sprinkled salt/pepper

Spagetti Squash (no recipe, made it up) 

1 squash 400 degrees x55 min or so…until soft enough (will depend on size of squash)

1.5 garlic cloves

Basil

Mushrooms

2 Roma tomatoes

Olive oil

Salt/pepper

Splash balsamic 

Red wine vinegar (not necessary I'm sure)

In a pan I sautéed all ingredients other than the squash for a few minutes, then added the squash. To get the spaghetti squash out of the squash use a fork to go against the grain. It will look like pasta. 

Since the squash takes forever to bake, I made the hummus, cut up all the fruits and veggies for the week and for this dish. My favorite part about spaghetti squash is that it lasts a couple meals, maybe even more depending on the size of the squash. You can make spaghetti squash whatever you want it to be. To me, spaghetti squash is a pasta or white potato substitute!

To follow up on the snacks…I have found a new one! Banana with almond butter. Basically a dessert. Also, boiled eggs, raw almonds, and berries. 

AND another go to? Egg white omelette with cilantro, tomato, and avocado. Today was the first day that I decided egg white omelets don't taste very good without cheese. I think I will have to mix up the ingredients. 

Thank you so much for the continuous support and feedback! So many of you have sent recipes and suggestions my way and it means so much! 

Snacks are Our Friends

I officially feel like I’m back in Ireland and trekking to the store every day. Every. Single. Day. Woof. And I still feel like I have nothing to eat. 

If I end up losing weight from this ordeal there is a very good chance (actually guaranteed) that most of it will probably come from never sitting down and having to prepare food for every waking second I’m not at work. Or researching what to eat. Or grocery shopping. Or blogging to avoid cooking.

Today’s saving grace? Protein energy bites that I slaved over for half of my evening last night. Definitely a nice addition to my sparse diet today. Check them out. Yes, they look like uncooked meat balls, but they are actually very good. Basically, I threw honey, almond butter (unsalted), chia seeds, oats, raw protein powder into my Ninja and let ‘er rip. I may have thrown in a little almond milk to move things along. No, I did not measure out anything. Sorry. I rolled them into balls and threw them in the fridge. They are great ‘space savers’ for my stomach. The only downfall is the massive amount of chia seeds that get stuck in my teeth. Yes, that’s a personal problem but also a disclaimer.

So far, the hardest thing about making it through the day is snacks. I have a nice supply of raw almonds at my desk that are great for snacking on and I bring a few pieces of fruit and/or berries and veggies as well. BUT I feel like they digest so quick!

WANTED:

Seeking suggestions for, 'stomach savers,' also known as protein filled (other than my protein bites) snacks other than fruits or veggies.

Sincerely,

Your Hungry Friend

P.S. I miss cheese.